Written by PETA
Mark Twain may be famous for his love of steamboats and jumping frogs, but some people may not be aware that he was also staunchly opposed to experiments on animals. He once wrote the following in a letter to the London Anti-Vivisection Society:
"I believe I am not interested to know whether Vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't. To know that the results are profitable to the race would not remove my hostility to it. The pains which it inflicts upon unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity towards it, and it is to me sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further. It is so distinctly a matter of feeling with me, and is so strong and so deeply-rooted in my make and constitution, that I am sure I could not even see a vivisector vivisected with anything more than a sort of qualified satisfaction."
In honor of Twain's spirited defense of frightened animals who are caged and killed in laboratories, PETA has presented its first Mark Twain Ethical Science Award to the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS), a nonprofit organization that has worked with scientists from hundreds of companies to design testing programs that replace tests on animals. PETA has donated more than $500,000 over the past decade to fund IIVS' work to develop non-animal tests.
In one case, IIVS developed a rapid screening method that allowed a company to eliminate the use of 750 rabbits per year, while almost doubling the number of products that the company was able to test each year. IIVS also works closely with regulators such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on non-animal testing strategies. With partial funding from PETA U.K., IIVS was instrumental in obtaining European Union approval of a non-animal skin irritation test as well as the first stand-alone non-animal eye irritancy test for certain classes of chemicals.
We think that Mark Twain would have been proud to have his name on an award recognizing IIVS for saving thousands of unconsenting animals.
Written by Alisa Mullins
Thanks to the efforts of compassionate people like Keely and Pierce Brosnan—and the many PETA Files readers who voiced their concerns (We love you guys!)—an attempt to end the moratorium on commercial whaling was defeated during the meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Morocco. This move is all the more impressive in the wake of news reports detailing the desperate attempts of Japanese representatives to manipulate the outcome, from applying backroom pressure to paying poor countries to vote on their side!
While this is good news, it's not yet time to pop those champagne corks. Whales still face huge threats, from spewing oil (and oil development) to miserable lives in captivity to—as any fan of Whale Wars knows—killer nations that subvert (or just ignore) the international ban on whaling. So while we have momentum on our side, let's keep the efforts going until all whales are free to live their natural lives! Thank you for your role in all this.
Written by Jeff Mackey
Here's a reminder of why it's so important to question authority when it comes to our animal companions' well-being: Recently, a distraught woman called PETA for help after a veterinarian sent her terribly injured cat home with only a prescription for antibiotics, claiming that this gaping wound would heal on its own:
No one knows how this poor cat was injured, but it doesn't take a degree in veterinary medicine to realize that the wound was life-threatening—it was necrotic and the muscle tissue had been exposed—and that the cat clearly needed further intervention immediately. PETA's Emergency Response Team helped find another nearby vet to assess the animal, who determined that the cat was indeed in dire condition and that euthanasia was the most merciful option. She was able to peacefully end the cat's suffering.
We owe it to our animals to be proactive if we suspect that they are suffering as a result of inadequate or downright bad advice or care from a veterinarian, groomer, trainer, or anyone else. Trust your own instincts and seek a second opinion. In this case, the cat would have suffered prolonged pain and a slow death if her guardian hadn't known better and persisted on behalf of her kitty. Of course, animals are much less likely to suffer catastrophic injuries like this one if they are safely confined indoors or kept under constant supervision when let outside on a harness or in a secure fenced area.
Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post
Up until today, it was legal for Florida residents to acquire wild foxes, bobcats, and coyotes, corral them in pens, and then set dogs upon them to rip them apart. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to put an end to "penning," effective immediately.
When we posted an action alert about this issue, people were appalled, and the response was overwhelming. Believe it or not, penning is defended by some hunters as a way to train dogs and get them "thirsty" for blood. Hunters kill millions of wonderful animals in cold blood every year, so it's no surprise that some would find cruel penning acceptable. Is it any wonder that some young people are disconnected from any compassion for wildlife?
Please send thanks to the FWC commissioners for not letting any more foxes, bobcats, or coyotes be torn to shreds. Please spread the word to family and friends so that we can let the commissioners know how important their decision is.
Written by Jennifer O'Connor
Well, he's not a real prince, but animals might disagree! While we're sure that nothing can top winning PETA's coveted Sexiest Vegetarian Alive title (which he nabbed in 2006), pop royalty Prince is set to add yet another statuette to his mantelpiece: a lifetime achievement award from BET.
In our opinion, Prince deserves a lifetime achievement award based on his empathy for animals alone. Refusing to eat "anything with parents," this cover boy for compassion recently served a sumptuous four-course vegan dinner to Ebony magazine staffers who were visiting his home to do a cover story on him.
He also refuses to wear animals—and he's not shy about it. In the liner notes to his 1999 CD Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, Prince explained why the jacket he's wearing in one of the album-cover photos is faux wool:
"If this jacket were real wool, it would have taken 7 lambs whose lives would have begun like this … Within weeks of their birth, their ears would have been hole-punched, their tails chopped off and the males would have been castrated while fully conscious. Xtremely high rates of mortality r considered normal: 20 2 40% of lambs die b4 the age of 8 weeks: 8 million mature sheep die every year from disease, xposure or neglect. Many people believe shearing helps animals who would otherwise b 2 hot. But in order 2 avoid losing any wool, ranchers shear sheep b4 they would naturally shed their winter coats, resulting in millions of sheep deaths from xposure 2 the cold."
Years later, when a fan tried to give Prince a leather coat during a concert in Washington, D.C., he demurred, "Please do not kill a cow so I can wear a coat!"
Prince also once famously declared: "We need an Animal Rights Day when all slaughterhouses shut down." His response to people who ask why he worries about animals in the face of widespread human suffering? "Compassion is an action word with no boundaries."
Prince, congratulations on your richly deserved award.
No one likes to be stuck in traffic, but commuters on Hollywood's famous Sunset Strip at least have some eye candy to help them pass the time: Olivia Munn, au naturel, in PETA's sexy anti-circus billboard.
In an exclusive PETA interview, the G4 Attack of the Show host, star of the upcoming NBC comedy series Perfect Couples,and new "Senior Asian Correspondent" for The Daily Show says that she was "brought to tears" after seeing PETA's undercover footage of Ringling Bros. trainers beating elephants with bullhooks. Olivia is asking her fans to join her in boycotting the circus. "Everyone at home," she says, "if you have a Twitter or MySpace or Facebook or … your own blog, you have to get the message out."
You heard the lady: Please tell everyone you know why circuses are no fun for animals.
Written by Paula Moore
We are not responsible for the elevated state of culture in the U.S., but …
Inspired by a Delaware ice cream shop's "booger" ice cream flavor, PETA is encouraging the shop to offer two other unusual treats: "dog poop" and "kitty litter" nondairy ice cream, with a portion of the proceeds used to help combat the dog and cat overpopulation crisis. By promoting spaying and neutering and reducing the number of litters born, we can also reduce the number of wonderful dogs and cats in animal shelters awaiting good homes.
The doggy flavor would resemble its namesake, but would be made with rich, velvety soy chocolate ice cream laced with chunks of dark chocolate. The kitty flavor would be mint with chunks of vegan brownie. Sounds like one kind of litter and poop that I'd love to scoop! What about you?
I'm a handbag addict, but my cravings are always easily met thanks to a seemingly endless assortment of skins-free styles. Naturally, when I saw the Kerin handbag that's this week's "Win-It" Wednesday prize, I needed it, stat. Feast your eyes:
My birthday's coming up, so I'll have to drop some not-so-subtle hints if I want to add this leather-free looker to my collection (fingers crossed), but you don't have to be a June baby to score it. All you have to do is come up with a clever caption for this photo.
Is that certain someone giving kisses to a vegan fashionista—or blowing a raspberry to a fashion offender dressed in leather? Either way, we've got one bag to give to the respondent who delivers the cleverest caption. Please don't be chintzy with your brilliance—really bowl us over!
The contest ends on July 7, 2010, and we'll pick the winner on July 9, 2010. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting.
Good luck!
Written by Karin Bennett
What do reggae star Matisyahu, the Israeli government, and fur have in common? The compassionate Jewish singer, who recently became vegan because of his disgust toward factory farms and to strictly adhere to Torah principles, has written a heartfelt letter on behalf of PETA to Israeli government leaders urging them to support a bill currently in the Knesset that would ban the fur trade in Israel. If the bill passes, Israel would be the first country to prohibit the production, sale, and importation of all fur products (with the exception of shtreimels, traditional fur hats worn by some Hasidim).
Matisyahu rightfully points out that stomping, beating, and bludgeoning animals violates the fundamental principle of tza'ar ba'alei chayim, which forbids gratuitous cruelty to animals.
In light of our recent undercover video about Chinese fur farms, it's time right now for governments and the public to turn their backs on fur.
Thanks go out to all the vigilant animal defenders who contacted us about a recent episode of MTV's The Hills, which showed a caged tiger pacing in a parking lot outside of Les Deux, a Los Angeles nightclub. During the show, Kristin Cavallari squealed that she wanted to touch the big cat. Had she done so, she might have been headed to the emergency room instead of the dance floor.
Back in May, we were alerted to this dreadful situation by an anonymous tipster, and we wrote to Les Deux. We pointed out that while tigers in the wild roam for miles as they hunt and raise their young, imprisoned animals can only pace back and forth as they go crazy from their unnatural confines. Their lives are filled with frustration, anxiety, and fear.
We're glad to report that PETA heard back from Lonnie Moore, who assured us that Les Deux will never again feature such a display, and added, "I am embarrassed and disappointed it ever happened in the first place." Plus, the Dolce Group, owner of Les Deux, has placed a statement on its Web site reading, "Dolce Group has enacted a policy that prohibits the exhibition of exotic animals at all of our businesses. The recent episode of The Hills which features a tiger at Les Deux was filmed prior to enacting an official policy. We have assured PETA that this will never happen again."
This is a perfect example of why it's so important to reach out to and enlighten others about animal issues. Please take a minute to thank Moore for his compassion. Then take a moment to learn about other ways you can help animals.
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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